


Family Matters

by Comrade Sakaki (Quantin_of_the_Lethe)



Series: Comrade Sakaki's Azumanga Daioh Canon [12]
Category: Azumanga Daioh
Genre: Canon Lesbian Character, F/F, Family Feels, Parenthood, Post-Canon, Trans Female Character, trans!sakaki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:02:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27243151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quantin_of_the_Lethe/pseuds/Comrade%20Sakaki
Summary: Graduated and happily living together, Sakaki and Kaorin take the steps to start a family of their own.
Relationships: Kaorin/Sakaki (Azumanga Daioh)
Series: Comrade Sakaki's Azumanga Daioh Canon [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2013553
Kudos: 5





	1. A Friday in October

**Author's Note:**

> My roommate suggested I write a fic about Sakaki having Empty Womb Syndrome and I decided to take it a little farther.

_BRAP, BRAP, BRAP, BR--_

Kaorin slammed off the alarm. She lay awake in bed, blinking the sleep out of her eyes, the fog slowly clearing. She stretched until she felt her joints starting to strain, and yawned again. She rolled over and looked outside. It was grey and drizzly, as expected for an early Friday morning in October. 8 am. Ugh. If she'd known that a degree in planetary science would result in her working at a bookstore, she might've just saved her money.

She rolled over to her other side to wake her wife up for work. Sure, they weren't _legally_ married, but they'd said we're having a ceremony anyway, who cares if it has any legal binding. Kaorin had, of course, been the one to propose--she wouldn't have it any other way--and they held a small private ceremony at Chiyo's summer home with their closest friends. A picture of their wedding entourage sat in a tidy frame on a nightstand.

"Dear," she said, gently jostling Sakaki.

"Mmmm."

"Dear, it's time to wake up."

"Mmmmmmmm. Okay, fine, I'm getting up."

"At least it's Friday."

"Mmm. Yeah."

Something about Sakaki's voice made it sound like there was more on her mind than just being tired, but Kaorin didn't want to pry. That being said, _something_ was definitely up. She didn't say anything while she showered, and she usually sang in the shower. She ate her breakfast silently. She put on her veterinarian's uniform and walked slowly to the front door. She held Kaorin from behind on the motorcycle ride to work as usual, but stayed quiet. She didn't smile once, not even waving goodbye to Kaorin as she went inside.

Her demeanor bothered Kaorin something awful. She tried to remember if anything had happened last night to cause this, but remembering was difficult with her dissociative disorder. She didn't _think_ anything had happened. Just routine weeknight stuff. They'd gone to bed tired, but in good spirits. She went to work, full of worry. She was pretty good at putting aside emotions when she needed to be there for others, but this time it was extremely difficult. She'd not seen Sakaki that emotionally distant in years.

Her boss took notice of Kaorin's distance. "Heya, Kaorin," Osaka said. "You doin' okay today?" Kaorin shrugged. "Relatively, I guess."

"Well, I'm askin' 'cause you don't sound okay. And we went to school together an' all..." Kaorin sighed. Osaka was too nice to be her boss. "Look, Ayumu..."

"Oh you don't have to call me that, Kaorin!"

"I should, you're my boss."

"I mean, yeah you _should_ , but you don't _have to_!"

"Anyway, I'm doing okay, I guess. Just under the weather."

"Yeah, it's pretty cloudy out," Osaka said, looking outside. "I can see how you'd be under it."

"No, Osaka, I mean--"

"I know what you mean, Kaorin," Osaka replied. "You have customers, by the way." Kaorin gave a small grunt of annoyance and went back to work.

* * *

Finally, time to go home. Well, pick up Sakaki, then go home. She arrived at the veterinary clinic, but didn't see Sakaki waiting for her, either outside or inside.

She popped her head inside. "Hey, where is...?"

"Hmm?" the receptionist perked up her head from the computer. "Oh, Kaori! Sakaki went home early today. She was feeling really unwell. Was she sick this morning?" Kaorin frowned. "She was really out of it this morning, but I didn't notice anything physical. I didn't want to pry." The receptionist also frowned a little. "Hmm. Well, keep an eye on her. She was _really_ not doing well today."

"I will, thank you." And then she drove home.

* * *

When she got home, the lights were out. Nothing was out of place. The bedroom door was slightly ajar. Sakaki was lying in bed, naked, curled into a ball, softly shaking. "Sweetie?" Kaorin asked. No response. She went over to the bed and lay next to her. "The clinic said you went home early. What's going on?"

"I...don't know if you'd understand."

"I'm sure I will."

"No, it's...you know..."

"A trans thing?"

Sakaki nodded slightly.

"Well," Kaorin said, putting a hand on her wife, "I can surely *try* to understand."

"I guess," Sakaki said, and she slowly sat up. She clutched her stomach. "I feel...thin."

 _That's odd,_ Kaorin thought to herself. But she held herself from saying anything. She knew there had to be more to this.

"I feel like I should be...full." She rubbed her stomach, as if the fact it was empty gave her great pain. Then, it very slowly dawned on Kaorin, but Sakaki said what she was thinking. "I wish I...ugh, this sounds so fucking weird...I wish I was pregnant."

"Sweetie, that's not weird at all. I know a lot of girls who go through that."

"It hurts so much, because, you know, I can't be."

"Well," Kaorin said, snuggling up close to her, "I've heard uterine transplants are a thing now."

Sakaki looked at her. "We're 22. You work part-time at a bookstore. I work full-time at a vet...we make enough. But not that much." She looked hopelessly despondent.

Kaorin put her hand on hers. "Do you ever think about us having children, you know, the...regular way?"

Sakaki sighed. "We barely make enough for _that_ , either," she said. "But yeah, I've thought about it. A lot recently, actually. Especially since, you know, next year is supposed to be my surgery date."

"We'd need to save up a lot," Kaorin said. "Your surgery crowdfund got enough, so we should be okay on that front, but not having a full source of income for a year...it'd be rough."

"Kinda lucked out that I'd be the one keeping my job, eh?" Sakaki said. "Even though...I wish I was the one..."

"I know, sweetie. I know. But this is the next best option we have." She sighed. "I think that...if we saved up enough and get our ducks in a row..." She held Sakaki's hand tightly. "I'd be ready for this. I'm ready emotionally. I just want to make sure we don't, you know, make a misstep."

"Yeah." Sakaki looked a little more grounded than she had all day, but still very sad. "I'm sorry, Kaorin, I should've told you about all this..."

"You would tell me one way or another, I trust you."

Sakaki looked at her. "The fact you do means so much to me, sweetie. I love you so much."

"So, um...does that sound like a plan? We'll have to go to a bare-bones budget for a while, but I think we can do it."

Sakaki nodded. Slowly at first, but getting more vigorous. She was ready.


	2. Six Months Later

"How's our budgeting looking?" Sakaki asked as she put on her more comfortable night clothes. Kaorin sat in bed, plugging away at her netbook. "Looking pretty solid, actually. We should be at our minimum budget within a month. There, of course, remains the question of what to do here. As in, physically here."

"What, because of rent?"

"Yeah." Rent was eating a massive chunk of their budget. "I know our families aren't really options, but if Chiyo and Osaka have a spare room, that might be best. Our schedule would actually be moved up a _lot_ if we were even paying _half_ of what we're paying right now. I can probably talk to Osaka about it. And if we get proactive about childcare, that'd be great, too."

Sakaki took Kaorin's hands and looked into her eyes with an expression of deep love. "How are you feeling?"

Kaorin averted her gaze. "Pretty good, pretty good. I think we've done a good job keeping to the--"

"No, darling, you know what I mean," she said, bringing her face closer. Kaorin took off her reading glasses and set her netbook aside, looking back into her wife's eyes. "I'm still feeling good about all of this...it's scary, I'll admit, but I feel good."

"What about it's scary?"

"Well, you know. Having a child inside me is an erapturing yet terrifying thought. A life, completely dependent on me."

"If there's one life I'd depend on," Sakaki said as she leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, "it's yours."

"Oh, sweetie!" Kaorin said, throwing her arms around Sakaki. "Of course," she added, "there's the question of whether we can even _have_ children."

"Ah, yes. We seem to have overlooked that small detail."

"So we should probably pay a visit to the doctor."

Sakaki sighed. She _loathed_ the doctor's office. "Yeah, probably."

* * *

At work the next day, Osaka rolled around to bother Kaorin, as she usually did. Only this time, Kaorin was anticipating it.

"Hey, Ayumu?"

"Yeah?"

"Sakaki and I were wondering if...um..."

"Oh, we'd _love_ to have y'all over!" her boss said ebulliently. "We had Tomo and Yomi over just the other night, so we wouldn't even have to change anything!"

"No, that's not what I was going to--"

"Ah, ah, ah!" said Osaka, shushing a flustered Kaorin. "I know how you two are about asking for things, so I'll save y'all the trouble! I love throwing dinner parties, anyway! Tonight!" And then she drifted off to chastise the employee at the register for God-knows-what; all Kaorin heard was "Now, darlin'...", which usually meant said person was in deep shit.

Kaorin returned to stocking books, sighing, but then she realized that having everyone in one place might be more ideal than playing a game of telephone between her, Osaka, and Chiyo over the next couple of days. She'd go to the doctor's with Sakaki after work, and then, depending on the outcome of that visit, go have dinner with Chiyo and Osaka.

She stepped outside for a break and called Sakaki. She was anticipating having to leave a voicemail, but to her surprise Sakaki picked up.

"Hey, I'm on my break," Kaorin said.

"Me too."

"So uh, Osaka kinda invited us over for dinner tonight. Well, more like 'told us to come over'."

"Of course she did."

"So I was thinking pick you up, hit the doc, head to their place?"

"Gonna be a long day, but today wasn't too stressful. I think I can do that."

"Okay, cool. Love you."

"Love you too."

She went back inside and told Osaka all systems were go for dinner that night. "We just have to visit the doctor first, and then we'll be over."

"Alright!" said her erstwhile friend, smiling big. "Wonderful! Just peachy! I'll tell Chiyo!"

* * *

Unfortunately, between the end of work and dinner with friends was an extremely intimidating doctor's visit.

"So, do you know this guy?" Kaorin asked as she put on her civilian attire.

"Sure," Sakaki said as she pulled off her uniform. "He was my first doctor to prescribe me hormone treatments. He knows I'm trans and he knows about you. He's perfectly safe."

"It's still really nervewracking. What if we can't have children?"

"Then, sweetie, we adapt and come up with a new plan. Nothing will stop us of achieving our dream of having a family."

Kaorin felt a wave of calm wash over her. Sakaki reassuring her was one of the world's best feelings.

About a fifteen minute motorcycle ride later, they arrived at the clinic.

"Ms. Yorimishi, Ms. Aida," the doctor said, greeting them with a smile. *So far so good,* Kaorin thought. "How can I help you two today?"

"Well, Dr. Komamoto, we're looking at starting a family."

Dr. Komamoto raised his eyebrows. "Congratulations on that decision! So I presume you're here for fertility testing?"

The girls looked at each other. "Uh, yeah, sure."

"Well, for you, Sakaki, it's simple enough." He handed her a small paper cup. Sakaki turned a deep pink. "Oh...um...I guess, uh, I'll be back." She got up sheepishly and went to the bathroom.

"This could take a while," Kaorin said to the doctor.

"That's fine," he said. "We have a lot to talk about in the meantime."

* * *

"So when will we know the results?" Sakaki asked as they prepared to leave.

"Pretty soon, within the hour. You have the app, I assume?"

"Well, yes."

"Good, because we send all results through the secure patient service portal now."

"Ah. Okay."

"Well," Dr. Komamoto said, "it was a pleasure seeing you two. Stay safe."

* * *

As they drove downtown, Sakaki couldn't help but hear a citypop tape she'd found in a thrift shop a few years ago play in her head on repeat. Glowing neon lights, the bright lights of side streets and theaters, bars, karaoke joints, all manner of nightlife. She'd of course been here before, but the idea of _living_ here was something else entirely. She and Kaorin could actually go on dates and not have to slate out several hours of planning. Well...maybe. Pregnancy was not going to be happy fun times and of course raising a child is a full-time job, at least they could be parents and _not_ in complete isolation. Their current apartment was pretty far away from things.

They stopped in front of a residential building that shot into the air. Greenery seemed to sprout from the walls as vines, trees, bushes draped off of balconies and littered patios.

"What floor did they say they were on?" Kaorin said in a small voice.

"The...14th."

"Oh, joy."

The elevator dinged on the 14th floor, and they stepped out, looking for apartment 1405. 1401...1402...1403...1404...1405. A plain white door. Sakaki took a deep breath, and knocked.

Of all the people she'd been friends with since high school, Osaka had changed the least. She still had the same droopy hair, slightly vacant eyes, and derpy smile that everyone had always found so endearing. She stood about four inches taller, but aside from that, puberty seemed to have passed her by. "Heya, Kaorin, Sakaki," she said, sounding like she'd just woken up--which, given this was Osaka, was always a possibility. "Make yourself at home!"

They were greeted about five minutes later by Chiyo Mihama. She had started growing her hair out after she graduated high school, but they were not ready for how different she looked from even a year ago. Whereas puberty had forgotten about Osaka, it had hit Chiyo like a Mack truck. She was now about half a head shorter than Sakaki and just as developed. Her radiant red hair flowed past her shoulders in waves. Given how pretty she was, you'd think that it'd match her personality even more. But long gone was the effervescent charm of her high school days. University had jaded her badly and she had dropped out after a year. She now spent her time doing freelance work on the Internet for anyone and anything. But her charm came back for one person, and one person only: the girl she'd always considered her older sister.

"Chiyo!" Sakaki cried happily as the two embraced tightly. "I'm so glad I get to see you again!"

"Looking beautiful as always, Sakaki," Chiyo responded with a smile. Sakaki could tell immediately it was hard for her to smile. Her eyes had permanent spots underneath them, like she'd had chronic lack of sleep for years. Her face was creased into an eternal scowl. Long gone was the eternally effervescent little kid she'd gone to school with. This was Doomer Chiyo.

"Coffee? Tea? Sake?" Osaka called from the kitchen. "I have a soup going I've had going all day, it should be ready any minute now..."

"Tea for me," Sakaki said.

"And for me too," Kaorin added.

"Coming right up!"

"So what's up with you two?" Chiyo asked. "Osaka mentioned something Kaorin wanted to talk to us about." Kaorin blushed. "I didn't--"

"Oh, yeah you did!" Osaka said cheerfully. "It's why I invited you! Figured this would be a better place than after work."

"Well...um...Sakaki and I are...thinking of starting a family."

Osaka blinked. "Wait, like, have a kid?"

"Well, yes."

"Wait, how would--" Realization dawned on her. "Ah."

Chiyo had it all figured out. "And you were probably going to ask if you could stay with us, given our spare room, because you--"--she pointed at Kaorin--"--are going to be on leave for 60% pay, and probably for another while without any pay, and you need to save money on rent."

Sakaki and Kaorin both turned very red indeed. "It's not a bad thing," Chiyo shrugged. "It's just somewhat predictable. For my end, I don't really mind. Tomo will have to start sleeping with Osaka when she visits."

"I don't think she'd mind that, either," Osaka said.

"Indeed. This apartment was paid for in full by my parents before I dropped out--HA!--so you wouldn't be paying rent. Helping out with other bills would be appreciated."

"And doable," Sakaki said. "I'll still be working."

"Oh, how excitin'!" Osaka gushed. "A new life, right in this abode!"

"Yes, yes, it's utterly delightful," Chiyo said in a clipped tone. "Can we eat now?"

And with the day's most stressful content out of the way, they enjoyed a nice evening with friends. So much so that Sakaki didn't notice her phone tick with a new notification until after they'd left. Just as she was taking her stuff out of the motorcycle's seat compartment, she decided to check.

"Is that...?" Kaorin asked. Sakaki nodded. She took a deep breath, said a small prayer, and checked what her test came back as.

Clean. Completely healthy. Her heart raced as her face broke into a wide smile.

"EEEEEP!" Kaorin squealed. "Honey, that's WONDERFUL!"

"Well," Sakaki said in a sultry voice, "we know the perfect way to celebrate."

"Indeed, my sweet," Kaorin said. "Very much so."

* * *

Time seemed to crawl afterwards. Days became weeks. Kaorin felt strange. She felt like something was supposed to happen. Her stomach was in knots from anxiety. When was she supposed to take the test? She felt like she should know this. Sex ed...couldn't remember. Fuck. Was it...after she missed her period? She missed her period. She missed her period! She nearly had a heart attack right then and there at work. During lunch she made sure to buy the most reliable-appearing test she could find, ignoring the strange look the cashier gave her, and filing it away in her bag. She wasn't going to take it now. She'd take it tonight.

She made sure to drink lots of water at dinner, and just before bed, she felt it. The need to pee. She grabbed the box from her bag and took it into the bathroom with her.

After she came out, now came the wait. She anxiously waited.

Soon, she had her answer.

"Sa...Sakaki..." she said, trying not to lose control.

"Mm?" her wife moaned groggily. "What is--" she looked at what Kaorin was holding, and her eyes went wide. They fell to the bed in a storm of tears, laughter, and kisses.


	3. Epilogue

It was finally the big day. Kaorin was allowed to go home with the babies.

As soon as she got home, she found everyone waiting for her. Sakaki, Chiyo, Osaka, Tomo, Yomi, Kagura, Yukari, Nyamo. They all cheered her, offering congratulations and wanting to see the children.

"Twins!" Yukari said. "Who woulda thunk it!"

"Identical ones, too!" Osaka said. "You're gonna have a lot of fun tellin' 'em apart, Kaorin!"

"Three cheers for Keito and Kotona!" Tomo yelled. Everyone cheered.

Sakaki took the children straight to Chiyo. The younger girl was caught somewhat by surprise.

"Chiyo, these are your nieces!" Sakaki said with a smile. "Oba Chiyo!"

Chiyo nearly lost control there. Sakaki really _did_ think of her as a sister. Even after all these years.

"Oba Chiyo," she murmured to herself as she cradled Keito, then Kotona, and passed them back to Kaorin. "Oba Chiyo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this!


End file.
